Skip To Main Content

Switchboard:

Switchboard:

Growing a Greener District

To enhance the quality of life for Milwaukee’s students and the entire community, Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) has committed to property improvements, sustainable practices, and environmental education that will conserve resources, contribute to a healthier city, and develop students who are aware and proactive about caring for their world.

The true impact of this work is multiplied when coupled with student involvement that develops skills, grows knowledge, and instills a sense of responsibility for the planet. Student participation in recycling, waste reduction, composting, and other efforts is a key component in helping to build a generation of children who are prepared to care for the Earth and find solutions for the future.

Schoolyard Redevelopment Projects

Playgrounds across MPS are greener and healthier thanks to our partnership with Reflo. This environmental nonprofit works with other organizations to design, construct, and renovate MPS schoolyards. Reflo combines environmental education, water management, and child’s play to create greener, healthier playgrounds. Each project is tailored to the specific needs and enthusiasm of the school’s community and can include outdoor classrooms, recreational facilities, and arts opportunities. Common improvements are:

  • Removal of asphalt and concrete
  • Installation of bioswales and cisterns
  • Construction of outdoor classrooms
  • Installation of green spaces and athletic facilities
  • Planting of trees, shrubs, and flower beds
  • Creation of natural spaces for children to think, work, relax, and play

From Reflo: Take a virtual tour of a green and healthy schoolyard!

Explore the schoolyard and learn more about Clement's journey from a sea of asphalt to interactive, learning spaces that highlight native species and promote biodiversity in Milwaukee. 

Video courtesy of Reflo

In-Progress Schoolyards

Fifteen MPS schools are currently in various stages of the planning process, from conceptual planning to fundraising to construction:

  • Cass Street School
  • Samuel Clemens School
  • Ralph Waldo Emerson School
  • 53rd Street School
  • U.S. Grant School
  • Humboldt Park School
  • Albert E. Kagel School
  • Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School
  • Lowell International Elementary School
  • Milwaukee French Immersion School
  • Morgandale School
  • Riverwest Elementary School
  • Trowbridge Street School of Great Lakes Studies
  • Walt Whitman School
  • Wedgewood Park International School and Honey Creek Continuous Progress Charter School

Learn More About the Upcoming Projects

Program Partners

  • City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works
  • City of Milwaukee Environmental Collaboration Office
  • Environmental Protection Agency
  • Fund for Lake Michigan
  • Greater Milwaukee Foundation
  • Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
  • Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District
  • National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
  • Reflo
  • UWM School of Architecture & Urban Planning Community Design Solution (CDS)